Post by Sachi on Aug 22, 2024 21:26:54 GMT -6
In the darkened halls of Heavenly Host Elementary wanders a lone girl, clutching a tome of flesh close to her chest. Symbols and runes line the walls, sketched in chalk, pen and blood, as if the building is to be made the conduit for some large and unthinkable ritual. The wooden boards creak and fall apart. You feel a hand on your shoulder, but there is no one there. The stench of fresh decay assaults your nostrils, stemming from a bucket simply buzzing with flies and dripping with viscera.
In the time you take to bend over and vomit, your skull is caved in by a huge man dragging along a sledgehammer. It gives way just as easy as cracking an egg.
Your vision fades, but the pain does not.
Suffer eternal.
The Book of Shaows beckons.
Mortis is a horror-themed game with mystery and puzzle solving elements. It will be played in real time following a chapter system equivalent to roughly one chapter per week. In these chapters, players and NPCs will explore the dilapidated ruins of Heavenly Host Elementary, avoiding enemies and solving puzzles as they desperately seek the truth, and more importantly, a way out.
Gameplay
In Mortis, players will explore rooms (threads) that make up a larger overall map (board). In each room, the player will be presented with a basic description of what is in the room, as well as links to rooms accessible from the one they are currently in.
(For instance: A Hallway may let you go through a door to enter a Classroom)
Players can privately examine the room they are in with greater detail if they message the host (That's Me) describing what they wish to do. This will be mandatory for many puzzles, so make sure not to forget about it.
What you see on the surface may only be a fraction of what is truly underneath...
In addition to the room threads, there will also be a separate RP Thread where conversations and things you're fine with doing in public will be posted. For simplicity's sake, make sure to include your current room somewhere in your RP Posts, and indicate with another post when you leave the room in question.
Movement Posts
When a character is inside a room, they must make a movement post to show their location to other players. This can be anything from a blank post to a small sentence describing what they're doing. When the player moves to another room, they must delete their previous movement post and replace it with a new one in their new room. Having more than one is forbidden.
(When a chapter has finished, you don't need to remove your movement posts from there to post in the next chapter. You can if you want, but it won't really affect anything)
Certain events may impose a movement restriction on players, such as when being chased by an enemy. These will be elaborated on whenever they become relevant.
There are "safe rooms" around the map that enemies cannot enter. Safe rooms are indicated by a certain symbol that will be revealed when the game begins in earnest. If you are logging off for the day, it may be wise to leave your final movement post in a safe room to avoid being ambushed by an enemy.
Character Sheets
All players will be given a character sheet on the forum with their current inventory, HP, and anything else that is applicable.
Mortis is not an RPG, so do not expect combat with enemies to prove fruitful most of the time. In the best case, you may be able to use an item to temporarily immobilize an enemy, or avoid an instance of damage.
Each character will begin the game with 5hp, which is subject to increase or decrease as the story continues.
Inventory space is unlimited, but some items (e.g. tables) cannot be reasonably carried, and you may not take them without the assistance of several players.
Enemies
Spirits, ghouls and other demented entities will roam the map in search of victims. They will be represented by NPC posts that look something like this:
Enemies vary in their routine. Some may patrol several areas, others may remain in a single spot, and others still could move as freely as a player. It is up to the players themselves to figure out ways to deal with or avoid every enemy they encounter, lest they suffer a horrible fate.
In the case that you are attacked by an enemy, and do not have the means of defending yourself, you will enter a Rock Paper Scissors duel with the host. The consequences of winning, losing or drawing will vary depending on circumstance, but it is generally better to win... as you probably expect.
There are also friendly NPCs that do not classify as enemies. They will assist the players with hints, if required.
Collectibles
Around the map, you may find the nametags. These are the lone remnants of those who entered Heavenly Host before you, and are the records of their passing. A nametag contains information regarding the corresponding character's name, occupation/school, and cause of death.
There will be a number of nametags per chapter, each recorded in that chapter's nametag thread.
Nametags are not required to complete the game, and will not have any effect on the main story.
However, collecting all of the nametags in a particular chapter will unlock a corresponding EX Chapter.
EX Chapters are short stories that may contain light roleplay elements. They will generally involve the characters to whom the nametags belong, or expand on certain story details.
The Chase (*NEW*)
During a chase, you will first engage in Rock Paper Scissors to determine whether you or your pursuer have the initiative. The winner of this initial RPS will get to make the first post.
You may make one post, and the pursuer makes one post. You can only post after the other party has posted. It’s sort of turn based, in that regard. In your post, you can move to another room and perform one single action.
“I move to the classroom and hide under the desk” is a valid post. “I move to the classroom, gather the items up, hide under the desk and wait” is not.
Whenever you and your pursuer enter the same room, so long as you’re not hiding, you engage in another Rock Paper Scissors to determine the outcome of the encounter.
Each individual enemy has their own strengths, weaknesses and movement timers. Adjust your strategy wisely, based on what you know about the enemy you're facing.
In the time you take to bend over and vomit, your skull is caved in by a huge man dragging along a sledgehammer. It gives way just as easy as cracking an egg.
Your vision fades, but the pain does not.
Suffer eternal.
The Book of Shaows beckons.
Mortis is a horror-themed game with mystery and puzzle solving elements. It will be played in real time following a chapter system equivalent to roughly one chapter per week. In these chapters, players and NPCs will explore the dilapidated ruins of Heavenly Host Elementary, avoiding enemies and solving puzzles as they desperately seek the truth, and more importantly, a way out.
Gameplay
In Mortis, players will explore rooms (threads) that make up a larger overall map (board). In each room, the player will be presented with a basic description of what is in the room, as well as links to rooms accessible from the one they are currently in.
(For instance: A Hallway may let you go through a door to enter a Classroom)
Players can privately examine the room they are in with greater detail if they message the host (That's Me) describing what they wish to do. This will be mandatory for many puzzles, so make sure not to forget about it.
What you see on the surface may only be a fraction of what is truly underneath...
In addition to the room threads, there will also be a separate RP Thread where conversations and things you're fine with doing in public will be posted. For simplicity's sake, make sure to include your current room somewhere in your RP Posts, and indicate with another post when you leave the room in question.
Movement Posts
When a character is inside a room, they must make a movement post to show their location to other players. This can be anything from a blank post to a small sentence describing what they're doing. When the player moves to another room, they must delete their previous movement post and replace it with a new one in their new room. Having more than one is forbidden.
(When a chapter has finished, you don't need to remove your movement posts from there to post in the next chapter. You can if you want, but it won't really affect anything)
Certain events may impose a movement restriction on players, such as when being chased by an enemy. These will be elaborated on whenever they become relevant.
There are "safe rooms" around the map that enemies cannot enter. Safe rooms are indicated by a certain symbol that will be revealed when the game begins in earnest. If you are logging off for the day, it may be wise to leave your final movement post in a safe room to avoid being ambushed by an enemy.
Character Sheets
All players will be given a character sheet on the forum with their current inventory, HP, and anything else that is applicable.
Mortis is not an RPG, so do not expect combat with enemies to prove fruitful most of the time. In the best case, you may be able to use an item to temporarily immobilize an enemy, or avoid an instance of damage.
Each character will begin the game with 5hp, which is subject to increase or decrease as the story continues.
Inventory space is unlimited, but some items (e.g. tables) cannot be reasonably carried, and you may not take them without the assistance of several players.
Enemies
Spirits, ghouls and other demented entities will roam the map in search of victims. They will be represented by NPC posts that look something like this:
Enemies vary in their routine. Some may patrol several areas, others may remain in a single spot, and others still could move as freely as a player. It is up to the players themselves to figure out ways to deal with or avoid every enemy they encounter, lest they suffer a horrible fate.
In the case that you are attacked by an enemy, and do not have the means of defending yourself, you will enter a Rock Paper Scissors duel with the host. The consequences of winning, losing or drawing will vary depending on circumstance, but it is generally better to win... as you probably expect.
There are also friendly NPCs that do not classify as enemies. They will assist the players with hints, if required.
Collectibles
Around the map, you may find the nametags. These are the lone remnants of those who entered Heavenly Host before you, and are the records of their passing. A nametag contains information regarding the corresponding character's name, occupation/school, and cause of death.
There will be a number of nametags per chapter, each recorded in that chapter's nametag thread.
Nametags are not required to complete the game, and will not have any effect on the main story.
However, collecting all of the nametags in a particular chapter will unlock a corresponding EX Chapter.
EX Chapters are short stories that may contain light roleplay elements. They will generally involve the characters to whom the nametags belong, or expand on certain story details.
The Chase (*NEW*)
During a chase, you will first engage in Rock Paper Scissors to determine whether you or your pursuer have the initiative. The winner of this initial RPS will get to make the first post.
You may make one post, and the pursuer makes one post. You can only post after the other party has posted. It’s sort of turn based, in that regard. In your post, you can move to another room and perform one single action.
“I move to the classroom and hide under the desk” is a valid post. “I move to the classroom, gather the items up, hide under the desk and wait” is not.
Whenever you and your pursuer enter the same room, so long as you’re not hiding, you engage in another Rock Paper Scissors to determine the outcome of the encounter.
Each individual enemy has their own strengths, weaknesses and movement timers. Adjust your strategy wisely, based on what you know about the enemy you're facing.
you got this
